Pistis Sophia chapter 102
JESUS continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "When I shall have gone into the Light, then herald it unto the whole world and say unto them: Cease not to seek day and night and remit not yourselves until ye find the mysteries of the Light-kingdom, which will purify you and make you into refined light and lead you into the Light-kingdom.
What men should renounce."Say unto them: Renounce the whole world and the whole matter therein and all its care and all its sins, in a word all its associations which are in it, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chastisements which are in the judgments.
"Say unto them: Renounce murmuring, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire of the dog-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce eavesdropping [?], that ye may [be worthy of the mysteries of the Light] and be saved from the judgments of the dog-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce litigiousness [?], that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements of Ariēl.
"Say unto them: Renounce false slander, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce false witness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and that ye may escape and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce pride and haughtiness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-pits of Ariēl.
"Say unto them: Renounce belly-love, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the judgments of Amente.
"Say unto them: Renounce babbling, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fires of Amente.
"Say unto them: |256. Renounce craftiness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements which are in Amente.
"Say unto them: Renounce avarice, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce love of the world, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the pitch- and fire-coats of the dog-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce pillage, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of Ariēl.
"Say unto them: Renounce evil conversation, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements of the fire-rivers . . . .
"Say unto them: Renounce wickedness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-seas of Ariēl.
"Say unto them: Renounce pitilessness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the judgments of the dragon-faced [ones].
"Say unto them: Renounce wrath, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dragon-faced [ones.]
"Say unto them: Renounce cursing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-seas of the dragon-faced [ones].
"Say unto them: Renounce thieving, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the bubbling seas of the dragon-faced [ones]. |257.
"Say unto them: Renounce robbery, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from Yaldabaōth.
"Say unto them: Renounce slandering, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the lion-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce fighting and strife, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the seething rivers of Yaldabaōth.
"Say unto them: Renounce all unknowing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the servitors of Yaldabaōth and the fire-seas.
"Say unto them: Renounce evil doing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the demons of Yaldabaōth and all his judgments.
"Say unto them: Renounce sloth, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the seething pitch-seas of Yaldabaōth.
"Say unto them: Renounce adultery, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light-kingdom and be saved from the sulphur- and pitch-seas of the lion-faced [one].
"Say unto them: Renounce murder, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the crocodile-faced ruler,--this one who is in the cold, |258. is the first chamber of the outer darkness.
"Say unto them: Renounce pitilessness and impiety, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the rulers of the outer darkness.
"Say unto them: Renounce atheism, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the howling and grinding of teeth.
"Say unto them: Renounce [magic] potions, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the great cold and the hail of the outer darkness.
"Say unto them: Renounce blasphemy, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the great dragon of the outer darkness.
"Say unto them: Renounce the doctrines of error, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chastisements of the great dragon of the outer darkness.
**Welcome to Pleroma Pathways apocalyptic and mystic Christianity where we explore esoteric and apocalyptic texts.**
**Pistis Sophia Chapter 102: Renunciation and the Path to the Light-Kingdom**
In Chapter 102 of the *Pistis Sophia*, Jesus delivers a powerful exhortation to His disciples, emphasizing the necessity of renunciation and persistent seeking for entry into the Light-kingdom. This passage captures the heart of the mystic journey: purification, transformation, and union with divine light through moral and spiritual discipline.
Jesus begins by calling His followers to a life of unceasing spiritual pursuit. He says: **"When I shall have gone into the Light, then herald it unto the whole world and say unto them: Cease not to seek day and night and remit not yourselves until ye find the mysteries of the Light-kingdom, which will purify you and make you into refined light and lead you into the Light-kingdom."** Here, the quest is not merely intellectual or devotional but existential—a total orientation of life towards the mysteries of divine illumination.
This refining process demands total detachment from the material world. Jesus commands: **"Say unto them: Renounce the whole world and the whole matter therein and all its care and all its sins, in a word all its associations which are in it, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chastisements which are in the judgments."** The renunciation of “matter” signifies not hatred of creation, but the withdrawal from attachments that blind the soul to divine realities.
Jesus then enumerates a detailed list of vices to be renounced, each associated with specific punishments or threats in the afterlife. The repetition of “Say unto them: Renounce…” underscores the importance of each command as part of the path to purification. The pattern is clear: those who wish to be *worthy* of the mysteries of the Light must engage in deep moral transformation.
Among the renunciations, Jesus warns against behaviors both internal and external. He says: **"Renounce murmuring," "Renounce eavesdropping," "Renounce litigiousness,"** each being subtle seeds of discord that separate one from the harmony of the Light. Further, Jesus warns against **"false slander," "false witness,"** and **"pride and haughtiness,"** associating them with fiery chastisements from beings such as the “dog-faced one” and “Ariēl.” These symbolic figures represent the punitive forces of the lower realms, perhaps aspects of divine justice or corrupted cosmic rulers.
The emphasis on purity of speech continues with: **"Renounce babbling… Renounce evil conversation… Renounce cursing… Renounce blasphemy."** These warnings echo the deep importance placed on words and language in mystic tradition. Words form reality; corrupt speech is aligned with darkness, while disciplined, reverent language aligns with the Light.
Gluttony and material greed are also condemned: **"Renounce belly-love… Renounce avarice… Renounce love of the world… Renounce pillage."** These instructions urge the disciple to master desire and live in simplicity. Jesus even instructs: **"Renounce craftiness,"** a critique not just of deception, but of manipulative intellect that seeks gain rather than truth.
Some of the more severe condemnations include: **"Renounce adultery… Renounce murder… Renounce atheism."** Each is paired with a chilling image of punishment: **"sulphur- and pitch-seas," "the crocodile-faced ruler," "howling and grinding of teeth."** These are not to be understood as literal threats alone, but as powerful symbolic descriptions of the soul’s state when estranged from divine harmony.
The passage warns against **"magic potions,"** perhaps referencing the manipulation of nature or the use of occult powers to subvert divine will. Jesus also says: **"Renounce the doctrines of error,"** revealing that belief itself must be purified. One cannot access the mysteries while clinging to distorted teachings.
The beings mentioned—*Yaldabaōth, Ariēl, the dragon-faced ones, the lion-faced one, and the crocodile-faced ruler*—represent dark powers associated with judgment and punishment. In Valentinian cosmology, these figures may symbolize the misaligned archons or forces of the lower heavens, set in opposition to the Light. To be “saved from” them is to escape their influence entirely by aligning with the higher, incorruptible order of the Pleroma.
Throughout the discourse, the phrase **"that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light"** functions as the central goal. Worthiness is not inherited but cultivated through rigorous ethical commitment and conscious purification. The “mysteries” are not simply secrets to be revealed, but spiritual realities that require a corresponding moral state to be apprehended.
Jesus concludes this section with grave warnings about the “outer darkness,” “hail,” “cold,” “grinding of teeth,” and “great dragon.” These metaphors may correspond to existential states of alienation from God and symbolize the chaos that ensnares the unrepentant.
Thus, in *Pistis Sophia* Chapter 102, Jesus does not offer a simple invitation, but a call to deep personal transformation. His words echo the ancient understanding that enlightenment is not given lightly—it must be sought with fervor and attained through purity. As He instructs, one must **"Cease not to seek day and night and remit not yourselves until ye find the mysteries of the Light-kingdom."**
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